Place-mat/mat keeping food and beverages warm

ABSTRACT

A place-mat/mat having an integrated heating area is used to keep food and beverages warm, making food and beverages more enjoyable to eat or drink, and may also function/be used simultaneously as furniture, such as a place-mat. The integrated heating area employs a phase-change material (PCM). The PCM such as preferably a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate is provided as a reusable heat reservoir and warmer. The place-mat/mat is directly placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to keeping food and beverages warm. More specifically, this invention relates to a place-mat/mat keeping food and beverages warm provided by a heating area integrated into the place-mat/mat, the placemat/mat being appointed to be placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located and also may function/be used simultaneously as furniture, such as a place-mat.

2. Description of Related Art

In private residences, restaurants, hotels, and other locations, it is desirable to extend the period of time in which food and beverages are warm and at an enjoyable temperature. Cooling of food and beverages, gives food and beverages an unpleasant and cold taste and maximizes the loss in quality of food and beverages. This also affects many seniors, small children, and guests in the restaurants that often eat or drink food and beverages slowly and/or want to enjoy their food and beverages, thereby food and beverages become cool and not enjoyable to eat or drink.

Warming food and beverages again such as on the cooker or in the microwave is uncomfortable, especially while sitting in a restaurant or having guests. There are also food warmer mats and food warmers for banquet style serving, which maintain food that is not served within in a temperature range, using electricity. The present invention is capable of functioning as both furniture, such as a place-mat, and a place-mat/mat that can be easily used to keep food and beverages warm. This invention doesn't use any electricity and is directly placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located to keep the food or beverage warm for a period of time, thereby also being able to keep the food or beverage in the same time it is being consumed simultaneously warm.

There is a need in the art for a place-mat/mat, which can be easily used, without using electricity, to keep food and beverages warm, making food and beverages more enjoyable to eat or drink, that is directly placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located and may also function/be used simultaneously as furniture, such as a place-mat.

As used herein, a “heating area” is an area in the place-mat/mat, which employs a phase-change material (PCM) such as preferably a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate, serving as a heat reservoir and warmer. By flexing a flat disc of notched ferrous metal, which is embedded in the liquid (a phase-change material (PCM) such as preferably a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate), crystallization of the liquid occurs; causing energy/heat to be released.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Cooling of food and beverages, gives food and beverages an unpleasant and cold taste and maximizes the loss in quality of food and beverages, which happens in private residences, restaurants, hotels, and other locations. This also affects many seniors, small children, and guests in the restaurants that often eat or drink food and beverages slowly and/or want to enjoy their food and beverages, thereby food and beverages become cool and not enjoyable to eat or drink. Warming food and beverages again such as on the cooker or in the microwave is uncomfortable, especially while sitting in a restaurant or having guests.

The present invention provides a place-mat/mat keeping food and beverages warm, making food and beverages more enjoyable to eat or drink, appointed to be placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located, which could prevent the cooling of food and beverages for a period of time and may also function/be used simultaneously as furniture, such as a place-mat. The placemat/mat on which the plate/container is located may be placed on furniture, such as a table, dining table, or other furnishing or fixture surface. The place-mat/mat may be readily rolled up after use for storage without damage.

Advantageously, the place-mat/mat is directly placed under the plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located, thereby also being able to keep the food or beverage in the same time it is being consumed simultaneously warm for a period of time.

These properties are achieved by constructing a place-mat/mat having an integrated heating area, which employs a phase-change material (PCM) such as preferably a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate. By flexing a flat disc of notched ferrous metal, which is embedded in the liquid, crystallization of the liquid occurs; causing energy/heat to be released. This could solve the problem of cooling of food and beverages, which gives food and beverages an unpleasant and cold taste and maximizes the loss in quality of food and beverages. What's more, the present invention doesn't use any electricity.

An object of the present invention is to provide a place-mat/mat keeping food and beverages warm.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a place-mat/mat that is directly placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located to keep the food or beverage warm for a period of time.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a place-mat/mat that may also simultaneously function/be used as furniture, such as a place-mat and in the same time keep food and beverages warm.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a place-mat/mat, which may simultaneously be used as a mat for big and small containers such as pots, pans, mugs, and plates, which is placed under the big or small container, to keep items like food and beverages therein or thereon served or located warm and protect the surface on which the big or small container is placed from heat damage and any other damage.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a place-mat/mat keeping food and beverages warm that may be readily rolled up after use for storage without damage and easily transported.

A further object of the present invention may be to be used simultaneously as decoration for furniture, such as a table, dining table, or other furnishing or fixture surface and in the same time keep food and beverages warm.

Another object of the present invention may be to defrost frozen foods or other frozen items.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

For a fuller and better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of the place-mat/mat.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view taken along lines 1-1 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a place-mat/mat keeping food and beverages warm appointed to be placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located, which could prevent the cooling of food and beverages for a period of time. Thereby the place-mat/mat is also able to keep the food or beverage in the same time it is being consumed simultaneously warm. These properties are achieved by constructing a place-mat/mat having an integrated heating area, which employs a phase-change material (PCM) such as preferably a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate. The place-mat/mat may also function/be used simultaneously as furniture, such as a place-mat.

FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of the place-mat/mat including the heating area 1. By flexing a flat disc of notched ferrous metal 2, which is embedded in the liquid 3 (a phase-change material (PCM) such as preferably a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate), crystallization of the liquid 3 occurs; causing energy/heat to be released. The disc 2 may have a limited room of movability, which may be constructed by attaching small areas next to the disc together, not disrupting the contact between the liquid 3 and disc 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view taken along lines 1-1 of FIG. 1 from the middle of the place-mat/mat, showing the place-mat/mat with an integrated heating area 1. The place-mat/mat may be constructed of two lyres 4 of a material such as silicone, PVC, fiberglass, cotton, any other natural or man-made substance known in the art which may serve as a rigid or semi-rigid surface for placing objects thereon, or combinations thereof, which may be attached together, employing a liquid 3 (a phase-change material (PCM) such as preferably a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate) and a flat disc of notched ferrous metal 2, in the heating area 1.

The place-mat/mat has an integrated heating area, which employs a phase-change material (PCM) such as preferably a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate, serving as a heat reservoir and warmer, which gives the needed temperature and has no safety concerns. Crystallization is triggered by flexing a flat disc of notched ferrous metal embedded in the liquid. Pressing the disc releases very tiny adhered crystals of sodium acetate into the solution which then act as nucleation sites for the re-crystallization of the remainder of the salt solution. Because the liquid is supersaturated, the solution crystallizes rapidly thereby releasing energy/heat with a temperature of approximately 129 degrees Fahrenheit or approximately 54 degrees Celsius, afterwards slowly cooling down. The place-mat/mat can be reused by placing it in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, or putting it in the microwave or oven, which re-dissolves the sodium acetate in the contained water and recreates a supersaturated solution. When the liquid in the place-mat/mat has returned to room temperature it can be triggered again, producing again energy/heat, or stored and used anytime because the reserved heat is never lost. The place-mat/mat may be readily rolled up after use for storage without damage. The plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located is appointed to be placed on the heated area. The place-mat/mat may have several heating areas.

Additionally to keeping food and beverages warm, the present invention may simultaneously be used as a mat for big and small containers such as pots, pans, mugs, and plates, which is placed under the big or small container, to keep items like food and beverages therein or thereon served or located warm and protect the surface on which the big or small container is placed from heat damage and any other damage. Further, the present invention may also be used simultaneously as decoration for furniture, such as a table, dining table, or other furnishing or fixture surface and in the same time keep food and beverages warm. The present invention may as well be used simultaneously to defrost frozen foods or other frozen items.

Although the above embodiments have been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A place-mat/mat keeping food and beverages warm and prevent the cooling of food and beverages, comprising: a place-mat/mat with an integrated heating area, wherein said place-mat/mat is appointed to be placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located.
 2. The place-mat/mat as recited by claim 1, wherein said heating area employs a phase-change material (PCM) such as a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate, serving as a heat reservoir and warmer.
 3. The place-mat/mat as recited by claim 1, wherein said heating area may employ a flat disc of notched ferrous metal, which triggers the liquid (a phase-change material (PCM) such as a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate).
 4. The place-mat/mat as recited by claim 3, wherein said disc is embedded in the liquid (a phase-change material (PCM) such as a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate).
 5. The place-mat/mat as recited by claim 3, wherein said disc may have a limited room of movability.
 6. The place-mat/mat as recited by claim 1, which is microwave-resistant, oven-resistant and thus heat-resistant.
 7. A place-mat/mat being able to keep a food or beverage in the same time it is being consumed simultaneously warm, comprising: a place-mat/mat with an integrated heating area, wherein said place-mat/mat is appointed to be placed under a plate/container in which the food or beverage is served or located. 